


You Will Always be Our Little Baby Girl

by MommyMaleficent



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Birthday, Birthday Fluff, Daddy Charming, Gen, Infantilism, Mommy Snow, Non-Sexual Age Play, little Emma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-22
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2019-01-20 23:06:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12443841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MommyMaleficent/pseuds/MommyMaleficent
Summary: It’s Emma’s birthday! Yay! Usually she receives presents on her special day, but this year Emma’s more interested in giving back. That’s not to say she isn’t getting anything out of it herself though.





	1. Chapter 1

“Baby me must have been a handful, huh?”

Emma was clever.

(Well, she thought so, anyway.)

She always waited for opportunities to casually slip innocent questions like that into conversation. Usually whenever Mom or Dad began to reminisce, bringing up days she herself long forgot. When she was just their baby. Before she was taken away for some reason and tossed from one horrid home to the next. Questions started after she reunited with them twenty-seven years later.

“What kind of baby was I?”

“Mine,” Mom would answer without hesitation. She would modify it to “ours,” if Dad was in the room. But even then it was with a playful wink. “And no matter how old you get, you will always be my little baby, Emma.”

On Mother’s Day the question was “Did I have a favorite parent?”

“I don’t think we gave you a chance to have one,” Mom answered off-handedly as she drove through town. “You were always very sweet to both of us.”

On Father’s Day still it was “Was I a nightmare with the crying and crapping, or were headaches usually caused by something else?”

Dad had to think for a minute, rolling his eyes to the ceiling. “You were... very attached to your mother and me, and we were very attached to you.” He tucked some hair behind her ear before leaning forward and kissing her forehead. “We still are.”

“That doesn’t answer my question, Dad,” chuckled Emma softly, “How bad was I?”

“Oh. Hmmm...” Dad looked to the ground this time, in actual serious thought. “Let’s see. You hated being away from us physically, so putting you in your playpen, your crib—nightmares. Though the first was probably because Mom and I didn’t like it either, and you knew it. As for sleeping in your crib, even for naps, you cried for hours until one of us held you. Other than those times, you were pretty happy.”

Emma nodded. She was happy, clingy, but not picky. Her baby book could explain the rest, and she often leafed through it when she was home alone. What her milestones were, her favorite toys, it was all written in excruciating detail. It was through finding and rereading this little book over and over did she start asking questions. It was her guide, the best she had. Memories fade but words were always there.

Everything was all set. The pantry and fridge were stocked, dresser clothes and closet onesies cleaned, drawers, toy box adequately full. All that was left was to get herself ready, physically and mentally, for her big day.

On the eve of her twenty-eighth birthday, after both her parents went to bed, Emma slid off her underwear and laid out a diaper, powdering it before she put it on. A chill went down her spine and ended at her thighs as the diaper hugged them and she felt tears prick into her eyes. Maybe it was the excitement of it all, and the tears were a confirmation of immense happiness. She was so happy she could cry. When she finished with the tapes she felt it again. The material crinkled and felt nice against her hands. It would take a while before she would warm up to the idea of using it, but the first step was complete.

Then she put on her plastic pants, which were louder in crinkles than her diaper, and she couldn’t help but smile despite the tears starting to run down her face. Emma wiped them away with her arms before grabbing her blanket and sniffing one of its corners to calm herself. She was so happy and excited she was crying. Her parents were going to recapture the precious few moments they had with her and she was going to remember it this time around. If they liked this, maybe she could call them Mommy and Daddy when she wasn’t in babyspace, but littlespace. Maybe she could also reclaim her childhood with them.

“Stop...” she chided herself, sniffling. “Get through this first, Emma. Let’s see how this works first.”

She put on a long t-shirt, a new one she bought with a cute little bear on the front, ran her hands over and under the plastic pants to feel the material of it and her new, cozy, comfortable diaper, placed her baby book and note on her bedside table alongside both baby monitors (she didn’t have time to sneak one into Mom and Dad’s room, and she definitely couldn’t do it now), and crawled into bed with her blankie in her arms.

Finally, she pulled up the side rails on both sides of her bed to give the illusion of a crib. She hugged her blankie and let her legs sprawl where they may, and pulled her actual blanket over her body and blankie. She could fall asleep to the comforting thought her birthday was just a few hours away, and her parents were the ones who were going to be surprised.

“Night-night...” she mumbled to herself, “Mama. Dada.”


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Emma awoke to Mom’s voice nearby.

“Oh...” she breathed in clear wonderment, “David, look...”

It took all Emma’s effort not to open her eyes. Instead, she rolled over to her left side, facing Mom and probably Dad too. She held tight to her blankie and brought it her face for reassurance.

Mom continued, stroking Emma’s cheek. “How precious! Isn’t she?”

“Always,” Dad agreed immediately, softly. “Snow, look.”

“ _What would you do differently if you had the chance?_ ” Mom was reading her note! She kept a gentle hand on Emma’s shoulder as she did, and her voice dropped to whispers the quicker she read. “ _If it’s okay with the two of you, I would like to spend my birthday with you as your little baby. If it isn’t okay_ —oh, sweetie, of course it’s okay! Oh...” She caressed Emma’s face again. “Baby, baby, open your eyes. I know you’re awake.”

“Is she?” Dad added, “I don’t think she is, Snow, and if I’m right, I get to tickle her like I used to.”

Emma couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her lips as she slowly opened an eye to peek at her parents, and then the other. She giggled at the sight of Daddy standing beside Mommy, hands up and all ready to tickle just like he said he would. She held Mommy’s warm fingers against her cheek before reaching for Daddy with grabby hands.

“Dada!”

Daddy reached past Mommy and let Emma take hold of his hand too. Emma wrapped her fingers around his index, giggling while she shook it. She looked at their faces to see how they were taking this, if they were weirded out yet. Mommy was looking back at Daddy, but Daddy was too busy looking at Emma and his finger in Emma’s hand, which was already small in comparison to his, his mouth open.

“Our baby girl...” Daddy said softly. Mommy stepped aside to let Daddy closer to Emma, and he caressed her face with the backs of his warm fingers. “My little princess...”

Emma giggled. “Mama! Dada!”

Daddy looked back at Mommy. “We’d be crazy to say no to this.”

Mommy, who was smiling wide with tears in her eyes and her arms crossed, only nodded. “You’re right.”

Daddy turned back to Emma. She looked deep into his eyes, her leftover smile from her giggles fading somewhat. What now? She tilted her head, and made a noise as he gripped her gently by the shoulders to try and sit her up, or even to pick her up. Emma remembered the side rails once Daddy folded the one closest to him and Mommy down and sat on the edge of her bed. He helped her sit up, and lifted her into his lap, placing a sturdy hand on her bottom. Mommy gasped.

“David, look...” She knelt down and touched Emma’s plastic pants, and took a peek to confirm there was indeed a diaper there. It was still unused from the night before. Mommy smiled at Emma as she stood up. “You really went through all the trouble, didn’t you, Emma?”

Emma had her arms wrapped around her daddy’s neck and was leaning her head comfortably on his shoulders, but at Mommy’s standing, made grabby hands for her instead, and grunted her answer. The transition was easier than she anticipated, and soon a smiling Mommy was standing with Emma in her arms, legs wrapped around her waist, the rustling and smooshing of diaper and cover against soft cotton a welcome sound between them. Emma rested her chin and cheek on Mommy’s shoulder, sticking her thumb in her mouth. It was a habit she’d not gotten into in... she couldn’t even remember. But she read she did, and it only felt too right.

Daddy saw too. “Looks like someone’s hungry.”

“I’m going to change her first,” Mommy said, patting Emma’s padded bottom.

Mommy hesitatingly bounced Emma to reset her from slowly slipping, something that not only startled Emma because she didn’t think Mommy would be able (or even Daddy, strong as he was), but startled her so much she accidentally bit her thumb. She gave a cry of pain. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she took her thumb out of her mouth and immediately began to wail.

“Oh, sorry, sorry! Baby, Mommy’s sorry!”

Emma was set back into Daddy’s lap where she was enveloped in a warm Daddy hug and Mommy kissed her sore thumb a few times until she calmed. Daddy and Mommy both wiped Emma’s face free of tears until she was all sniffles and Mommy promised to warn her if she was going to bounce so it doesn’t happen again. Emma nodded lots before twisting around to bury her face into Daddy’s shoulder, arms once again wrapped around his neck, still sniffling, slightly shaky, but quiet.

Daddy held her in his warm, tight, strong embrace. Behind her, Emma heard Mommy head for her drawers where she kept her diapers on the top ones alongside her adult underwear, and a few outfits on the bottom two drawers, mostly long tees and pants. She peeked to see what she’s getting, and by the time Mommy returned she was okay again, waiting patiently for Mommy to take her from Daddy.

* * *

Since she didn’t have enough time or energy to get a highchair ready, Mommy and Daddy took to the couch and put Emma on their laps for her first bottle. They didn’t take their eyes off her the entire time, and Emma didn’t take her eyes off them either. Daddy got to burp her since Mommy changed her diaper. Neither seemed to mind doing those things.

After Emma ate, Mommy and her watched a little TV together while Daddy went back upstairs to get some toys and things for Emma to play with downstairs. They laid out a blanket on the floor, pushing away the coffee table, and Daddy laid out a few things to play with—some stuffies, little blocks, an interactive book or three, plenty of things to keep a baby entertained for a while.

Emma crawled to the blanket and plopped down in the center of it, and showed her parents her favorites of the toys Daddy brought down. She loved the penguin plush, but the ducky was more her favorite, and Mommy gets Bambi. Mommy and Daddy watched her play for a little bit, but then Mommy went to the kitchen to go make their adult breakfast. Emma stopped playing and watched her go. Then she looked at Daddy.

“Dada!” she cried, dropping her duck and reaching for him with outstretched hands. He was still sitting on the couch. He watched Mommy go too, but looked at Emma when she called for him.

“Daddy’s here, princess,” he said gently to her. He got up off the couch too, but instead of going to the kitchen like Mommy, Daddy came over and sat right next to the blanket. Picking up the little duck, he held it in front of his face, hiding behind it, before popping up again. “Peekaboo!”

Emma laughed and clapped her hands. “Boo! Boo!”

“Okay, here we go again!” He hid behind the duck again. “Peeka—”

She laughed and clapped before he finished, unable to wait. When he didn’t come out from behind the duck stuffy or finish saying the word, Emma reached for it and tried to push it down, which was hard because her daddy was really, really strong. After a few seconds of this, she began to frown.

“Boo!” he cried suddenly, and she immediately laughed again. There was her daddy! Daddy laughed too, and he gave her back her toy and she hugged it. Then she crawled into his lap, pulling with her one of her interactive books. When she pointed at a button, and Daddy pressed it and it made a noise, she giggled. When he pointed at a button and she pressed a different one, Daddy kissed her and called her silly and Emma laughed even more.

Daddy began to read the story, and she snuggled into his warm body, smiling and content.

“David,” Mommy called from the kitchen, “Where did you put the syrup? Are we out?”

Daddy stopped and turned to the kitchen to call back, “No? That bottle was only halfway empty the last time we had pancakes.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive! Did you check the—hold on.” Without even looking, Daddy picked Emma up and put her back on the blanket before he stood up. He gave her a kiss on her head. “Sorry, princess, Mommy needs me right now. I’ll just be a second, okay?”

“Dada!” Emma pouted. “Dada!” She pushed the button that had sword fighting noises, Daddy’s favorite, and held the book up to him. He smiled at her but began to walk to the kitchen to see what Mommy needed. Emma began to whimper. “Dada! Mama!”

Mommy was too far away to hear her over Daddy talking.

Now all alone, Emma looked around her. Nothing looked fun anymore. She threw the book she had in her hands across the room. She threw the other ones too, but to other parts of the room. They all landed on the floor with big loud thuds, and she was sure those would get Mommy or Daddy or both to come running to see what she did.

Nope.

So she began to whimper again, more. Louder and louder until she was crying. She flopped down on the blanket but she didn’t hit anything or kick (much). She sobbed and cried until someone came rushing in, and the next thing she knew, Mommy was sitting her up and hugging and kissing her, smelling like pancakes and warmth and love. Emma clung to her, not letting go, sniffling over and over.

Mommy patted her back. “First rule of babycare: never leave baby alone.” She kissed Emma’s forehead and when she stood up, Emma was in her arms just like before. “Especially our baby.” Mommy kissed Emma’s cheek loudly. “Mommy and Daddy are sorry, Emma. We know you don’t like being away from us. Daddy should have brought you with him, shouldn’t he?”

Emma nodded. Then she felt Daddy’s hand on her head rubbing her hair. “Daddy’s sorry, princess.” She peeked at him. “I was only going to take a minute to help Mommy find what she wanted. Daddy was going to come back.” Mommy shifted Emma to her right side so she could see Daddy without having to strain her neck. Daddy cupped Emma’s cheek in his hand. “Will you forgive me?” He did his best sad face. Emma looked to Mommy for help.

Mommy smiled at her. “What do you say, baby? Do we forgive Daddy? Hm?”

Emma thought for a moment. Then she puckered her lips and blew a raspberry at him. Then she hid her face in Mommy’s hair, giggling.

Of course she forgave him. But he didn’t need to know that yet.

* * *

After Mommy and Daddy had their breakfasts (and Emma had applesauce), it was time for Emma to take a nap. Mommy carried her upstairs and into her and Daddy’s bedroom instead.

“I know you’ll make a fuss if I put you in your crib,” she said, laying Emma down in the middle of their giant bed and pulling up the covers, “so you won’t be napping there. And you don’t like being alone, so Mommy’s going to stay with you, okay?”

Emma nodded. “Mama,” she said, reaching up and touching Mommy’s face.

Mommy smiled, held her hand, and kissed her fingers as she sat down beside her. “My sweet baby. My beautiful little Emma.”

Daddy came in with her blankie and a brand-new, clean pacifier. It was white with a pink heart on it. Emma made grabby hands for all three. First Daddy handed her her blankie, Mommy gently put the paci in Emma’s mouth, and Daddy went to Emma’s other side and brushed her hair away from her eyes. Emma, baby blanket on her chest, held tight to both her parents. Even as they kissed her forehead and promised they would be there when she woke up an hour later, she just shook her head and didn’t let go. Instead, she tugged them toward her. Tug, tug.

“I think she wants us to sleep too,” Daddy said to Mommy, “Is that what the birthday girl wants?” he asked her, and Emma nodded.

Mommy smiled and shook her head. “Mommy and Daddy can’t sleep now, baby, but we will lie with you, and we’ll be here when you wake up, okay?”

“Mmgh...” Emma whined through her paci. She felt the tears returning. “M’ma... D’da...”

In the end, they did lie with her, and they were there when she woke up, as Mommy promised, but whether or not they slept, Emma didn’t know. She did fall asleep first, after all.

* * *

After napping came another diaper change (that she still didn’t use but that was okay), another bottle on the couch, more playing, and another nap before dinner. After dinner, which was on the floor like a picnic, Mommy and Daddy brought out her birthday cake. It was made for adult Emma, but baby Emma had fun with it anyway. She blew out the candles and clapped her hands when Mommy and Daddy cheered for her, and waited until they said she could eat to use her hands and get her slice everywhere.

Mommy and Daddy watched her play with her food with large smiles on their faces as they calmly ate theirs.

“Happy birthday, Emma,” Daddy said. “How old is Daddy’s little girl turning today?”

Emma pursed her lips. Then she held up her left index finger, as the right one was still busy with touching cake.

“Age one for our number one favorite person in the whole wide world!” Mommy added.

“Persaaaa!” Emma repeated.

* * *

After dinner came a nice warm bath with bath toys and bubbles and it’s just Mommy and Emma again. Mommy scrubbed her all gentle and clean, even washing her hair with baby shampoo. She hummed a little song while she worked, and Emma found herself very sleepy.

After bath time, it’s time for bed. Mommy helped Emma find and put on her most comfortable and warmest pajamas before she scooped her up into her arms, patting her back all the way down to her room. It seemed Daddy took the right baby monitor too. And not once did they ever use Emma’s baby book.

Both were present to wish her goodnight. Emma had her pacifier in her mouth, blankie by her side. Both were smiling down at her, Mommy stroking her tummy, Daddy her cheek.

“Mommy and Daddy love you so much,” said Daddy, “Thank you for this wonderful surprise, Emma. We really enjoyed it.”

“If you ever need to regress into babyspace,” Mommy added, smiling softly, “you just tell us, okay? There’s no reason why we can't do this again.” She winked.

Emma nodded. She took out her pacifier and whispered a small little “thank you, Mommy, Daddy,” before sticking it back into place and soaking up all the attention.

They were going to do this again, Emma was certain of it. Not just for her birthday, but other days too. Whenever she wanted, with her parents’ blessing.

Overall, a good start, and a most wonderful birthday.


End file.
